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And after several escape attempts, his carers realised he would be the perfect candidate to teach fire fighters how to handle escaped animals without startling or harming them.

Cheeky: Dominic weighs 200lb - the equivalent of 14 stone - and can prove to be quite a handful

Fire officers are regularly trained at the centre by expert staff, but over the last six months, trainers have introduced a practical element into the training - herding Dominic safely around the farm.

But the cheeky pig makes sure the task is not as easy as it sounds - and after a day of chasing hefty Dominic around a muddy sty, the crews are more than well-equipped to deal with runaway farm animals.

Animal safety lecturer Dawn Watkins, who runs the course, said: 'Dominic is a very friendly animal, he loves human attention and likes to be the centre of attention.

'However, he also loves to run off exploring whenever he can, so he was the ideal candidate to help train these fire crews.

'A lot of the fire fighters have never had any contact with animals before, and have no idea how to handle them, or read their body language.

'They told us that rescuing stuck or trapped animals, or catching escaped animals who have made their way onto roads, is a major part of their job, and the animal training is a big help for them.

'The course with Dominic lasts a day, and they start in the classroom, before progressing out to the stables to deal with Dominic face-to-face.

'They usually start the day not-to-keen on the pig - but by the end of the training, he's everyone's best friend. It's impossible not to love him.'

VIDEO Porker Dominic gives his colleagues the runaround

On the run: Dominic the pig keeps fire fighters busy during a practice drill at the animal rescue centre Horse World in Bristol

Learning new skills: Fire fighters from Avon Fire and Rescue Service attend the rescue centre to learn how to deal with escaped farm animals

Firefighters use blankets and boards to help create a walkway for the escaped animal - but as they quickly discover, not all animals want to go quietly - and Dominic regularly escapes from the walkway, leaving fire fighters to catch him once again.

Horse World worker Jess Savage said: 'Dominic is great for helping fire fighters realise how difficult it can be to control animals, but hopefully, they leave the training with a better understanding of animals and how to handle them.

'Dominic loves the attention and his new role - he gets a lot of fuss and attention.'

On the trot: Fire fighters use large wooden planks to heard Dominic where they want him to go

Full of surprises: Dominic has proven the perfect candidate to teach the fire fighters how hard it can be to control farm animals